Smooth Like Velvet
by PhoebeSnow
Summary: He had never been this close to anyone before. Becoming emotionally involved with someone, especially a woman, meant that he would have to let down his walls and let her in. Leonard didn't like letting people in because it also made him vulnerable. And yet, being here, with Sara so soft and warm in his arms, he could see himself getting used to it. Falling. Hook, line and sinker.
1. One Step Forward

**Author's Note: I am totally and completely in love with Captain Canary. This is a pairing I can really get behind. Don't tell me that they aren't perfect for each other because they are! If they don't end up with each other in Legends, I will lose my mind! This fic was originally uploaded on Archive of Our Own. If you would like to check out my other stories on AO3, please go to Phoebe_Snow to keep informed about my latest story updates.**

 **xxxxxXxxxxx**

Her hands, that was the first thing he noticed about her. They were always clenched, for what reason, he didn't know. Sara Lance aka the White Canary was a fighter. She was deadly, dangerous, just like him. Still, there were times that Leonard caught a tortured gaze in the assassin's eyes. It never stayed for too long before she would blink and the look would be gone.

Leonard knew that his reputation for being Captain Cold and his sarcastic, aloof behavior was exasperating to the team at times, but he didn't care. He had reasons for keeping people away, shutting them out of his heart and his mind. Emotion, feelings, friendships, they were a weakness that could destroy him if he let them. But damn it all, he cared. He actually cared...about Sara. He wanted to know her, why she was such a tortured soul and why she had nightmares every time she went to sleep.

He heard her many times, crying out in her dreams. Leonard wasn't spying on her of course. Being on this ship, being in a new place that was unfamiliar to him, took him a bit of time getting used to. The first couple of weeks he couldn't sleep, so he would walk around the ship, drinking a little bit of whiskey and exploring the place.

Every once in a while Leonard would end up outside of Sara and Kendra's room and every time he stood or passed by their room, he would hear sniffling or quiet sobbing. Obviously, the sound came from Sara Lance. He knew it well.

Many times he had wrestled with his conscience. It would tell him to keep walking and ignore the cries of his teammate. Better off not showing any interest in her or her sorrows. Doing that would cause him to become involved, to feel for her. It would only screw him up later. So he stayed away, kept his distance, made it seem like he could care less about her.

Outward appearances aside, Leonard still took note of the way Sara walked, the way she talked, how she reacted to the situations the team found themselves in. He observed her carefully and cautiously. He memorized the shape of her face, the curve of her lips, the length of her legs.

Mick had seen the interest Leonard had taken in Sara, but he never said anything unless they were alone.

"Damn, buddy, you got it bad for Blondie, don't ya? Why don't you just tell her? The worst she could do is kick your ass."

"Go to hell, Mick," Leonard responded with no real conviction behind his words. As much as Leonard hated to admit it, Mick was right. He was more or less smitten with the White Canary. She was such a small thing, so tough, so guarded, but deep down inside, she was really just a caged bird, waiting to be freed.

The other members of the team were too dumb to see this, save for Rip, and honestly, the idea that the Time Master would try to have an intimate talk with Sara pissed Leonard off. This was completely irrational and unlike him. Sara Lance was unraveling the crook in ways that he didn't expect - or like - and she had no idea what she was doing to him, either.

Again, Leonard stood outside of Sara's room, wondering whether or not he should go inside. Dammit. She was sniffling again. That, in itself was a cry for comfort of some kind. Who was he to ignore it?

Forward he went, the door sliding open. He glanced at Kendra. The girl was fast asleep, snoring softly. Heavy sleeper, Leonard guessed, to have been able to sleep through the many nights filled with Sara's cries.

He reached Sara's bedside and gazed down at her sleeping form. She was shivering and a few tears slid down her cheeks as she whimpered in her sleep. Leonard was filled with an overwhelming urge to aide her in some way, to keep her close and drive away her nightmares. There was no doubt that he had it bad for her. He glanced at her hands. They were clenching and unclenching. Before he could stop himself, he grasped one of her hands and squeezed it gently.

Almost immediately, Sara's cries ceased and her breathing gradually grew less heavy and labored. Several minutes passed and she slowly opened her eyes, taking in Leonard's face hovering above hers. Surprisingly, she didn't pull her fingers back or yell at him to get out. Instead, Sara entwined her fingers with Leonard's and gave him a soft smile. She looked beautiful.

"Len..."

Leonard tried to hold back his delight that Sara spoke to him in such an intimate way. He still had a reputation to uphold. Still, he smoothed his thumb over her knuckles and gave her hand another gentle squeeze.

"Yeah, Sara?"

She licked her lips and closed her eyes briefly before opening them, determination filling the depths of her orbs.

"Will you stay with me? Just for a little while?"

He didn't hesitate to respond. "Sure."

Sara sighed in what seemed like relief and scooted over to the side of her bed. She wanted Leonard to get in the bed with her.

Leonard raised an eyebrow, but he complied, getting under the covers and pulling them to his waist. "You sure, assassin? If I do this, we might wake your roommate up with our activities~" He simply wouldn't be Captain Cold without his snarky comments.

Sara laughed and swatted him on the shoulder. "Such a pig. No, Len. I expect you to be a proper gentleman tonight."

"Are you sure about that? I am getting kind of comfortable." Leonard rested his other other hand on Sara's hip, his fingers brazenly grazing the soft skin under her tank top.

Sara widened her eyes for a moment but she quickly returned the favor, gliding her hand over his close cropped hair, running her fingers down to his collarbone. She gave him a teasing grin and touched her forehead to his.

"Not tonight...but maybe, if you keep coming around, we could make a ritual of it. I know I could get used to this."

Leonard smirked and nodded. He had never been this close to anyone before. He never felt the need for it. Becoming emotionally involved with someone, especially a woman, meant that he would have to let down his walls and let her in. Leonard didn't like letting people in because it also made him vulnerable. Still, here, with Sara so soft and warm in his arms, he could see himself getting used to it, too. Hook, line and sinker.

"I hope that's a promise... _assassin_."

"It is, " she whispered back.

As they both drifted to sleep, Leonard's last thoughts were of Sara's hands. They weren't clenched now. They were covered by his own and curled up like a newborn baby's. And her skin. _Smooth like velvet_.

 **xxxxxXxxxxx**

 **So, what did you think? Did you like it? If so, keep checking back because I will be posting more Captain Canary fics over the next couple of days! If you didn't like this fic and you don't like Captain Canary, stop reading this and go read Twilight or 50 Shades fics. This is too above you. Reviews/favorites/follows are always welcome! No flames, please.**


	2. This is Serious

_Everybody knows I'm mad for you, you get me seriously out of my mind_

 _Not gonna let no one get hold of you, baby, baby_

 _'Cause this love is serious, we're seriously onto something_

\- Gwen Stefani, 'Serious'

 **xxxXxxx**

Sara yawned and stretched her arms out as she slowly began to wake up. She stopped when she heard the masculine groan behind her, followed by two large hands reaching to wrap around her waist and pull her closer. Sara blushed furiously as she remembered what happened last night.

Leonard Snart actually came into her room of his own volition and spent the night holding her until she fell asleep. Sara marveled at the fact that Len actually stayed the **entire** night. She figured that he would go back to his own room once she had fallen asleep...but he surprised her by doing the exact opposite of what she expected.

Sara's lips curled up into a big, ridiculously happy grin. Then the smile fell from her face and she began to panic. What if Len woke up and acted like nothing happened between them? Would he avoid her now that they had just taken a rather large step past the sprinkle of their casual friendship into the tidal waves of possible romantic intimacy?

 _'Shut up, Sara. You're worrying too much. He wouldn't have stayed with you unless he liked you. He doesn't even like touching people, remember? It says a lot that he actually spent the night with AND cuddled you as well. You can be sure he doesn't do that with any woman he meets.'_

It had been a while since Sara let herself get this close to anyone, so she was understandably concerned about the ramifications of last night.

Sara had a sudden nervous urge to bite her nails. She resisted it, though. She hadn't bitten a single fingernail in years and she wasn't about to start now. Anytime she bit her nails it was a sign that Sara was worried about something, but worrying never accomplished anything. Besides, Sara didn't get scared or worried about anything anymore. Being in the league gave her a fearlessness that she always had inside of her but had never harnessed fully. When it came to Leonard, she wasn't quite so sure of herself anymore, and that was **really** scary. The only thing she could do was wait until Len woke up and they would go from there.

He must have heard Sara's thoughts because he stirred and opened his eyes. Sara tried her best to look natural as she gave him a soft smile. "Hey, sleepyhead. I was wondering when you'd wake up."

Leonard grinned back at Sara and he sat up, stretching his arms out. "Morning...forgot where I was for a second. Can't say that I'm sorry that I stayed, though. Waking up next to you is pretty nice," he drawled, a hint of flirtatiousness in his voice.

Sara looked away before he saw the bright pink she was sure growing on her cheeks. Leonard sweet talking her gave Sara those special warm, fuzzy feelings that she was unaccustomed to experiencing. At least, in the last couple of years.

"Flatterer. For all of your snark, you really know how to charm a girl, Len."

"No, I don't go for that charm bullshit. That's what people do when they're playing with peoples' feelings. This is genuine, Sara."

Sara swallowed and dared to look back in Leonard's eyes. What she saw there scared and excited her at the same time. He really wasn't joking; He was in earnest. This was more serious than she thought it would be. Sara hesitantly moved her hand to cover Leonard's free one. To her joy, he didn't pull away, but he responded by squeezing her hand gently.

Sara blinked back the sudden onslaught of tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. Why the hell was she getting so emotional all of a sudden? She covered Leonard's hand with both of hers now. "D-do you really mean that...?"

Leonard moved until his face was mere inches from Sara's. He just looked into her eyes with that intense stare of his. Sara was embarrassed at how red her cheeks had probably gotten. Still, she kept looking back at him, silently.

"Let me prove it to you," he said in a low voice. Then, he kissed her. It wasn't a particularly passionate kiss or a seductive kiss. This was a kiss that declared, confirmed and encouraged Sara that Leonard felt something for her. Now, it wasn't love - they'd work their way there, she was certain of that - but it was more than a mere sexual attraction. It was a bond, a solid bond that had slowly been growing stronger as each day passed.

 _You got me so delirious, I'm under your control_

 _Call it anything you want, your arrow's got me poisoned_

Sara moaned and slid her arms around Leonard's neck, pulling him closer to her and he responded in kind, kneading her hips. Her body was already warm from the clooseness to his. Then, she pulled back from Leonard, her head shaking. "No, Len. I can't do this. Not now."

Leonard's eyebrow raised questioningly and crossed his arms. "Well, you don't leave much room for argument, do you, Lance?"

Sara furrowed her own eyebrows in confusion and let out a relieved laugh when she realized why Leonard was annoyed. She chuckled and rubbed his knee to reassure him. "Oh, Len. I meant I can't kiss you right now. I need to brush my teeth. Nothing screams 'unromantic' more than kissing someone with a dirty mouth."

Leonard shook his head and snorted in response. "Well, you do have a point. Although, I can't say I'm really a 'romantic' kind of guy, I do pride myself on knowing what a woman likes, though. You're right, Sara. Morning breath is a lot to inflict on someone right when they wake up. Tell you what, why don't we both brush our teeth at the same time? That way, we have plenty of time to come back here and finish~?"

The seductive tilt of his voice made Sara swallow in anticipation. Leonard slid a little closer to Sara and rested his palm on the inside of her thigh. Sara licked her lips and gave Leonard a small smile, mirroring his movement and placing her hand on his inner thigh as well, except she squeezed the leg gently. Leonard sucked in sharp breath and simply stared back into her eyes.

 _Tell me what your secret is, your love's got me insane_

 _My addiction is your kiss and boy, you got me wanting it_

Sara calmly looked back into his with a coy grin on her face. It was nice to know that she affected Leonard in such an intimate way - even though most men would be turned on by a little finding of the inner thigh, just the idea that she did it to THE Captain Cold and he liked it gave her a nice triumphant feeling that made her heart pound in excitement. Eliciting any kind of emotional reaction from Leonard, whether it be arousal, or amusement, was a check in her book. Sara liked seeing Leonard off guard with his defenses lowered. It was pretty sexy.

"Agreed."

She blinked and got off the bed, stretching her arms out and yawning. Leonard watched her and left the bed too, scratching the scruff of his neck. "So I suppose this means that we're more than just the assassin and the crook," he said matter-of-factually to no one in particular.

They both took off in the direction of the bathroom, walking slowly together. After a moment of careful consideration, Sara took Leonard's free hand in hers and smiled up at him. "Len...let's not put an official name on this just yet. For now, let's be...friends with potential."

Leonard grinned and took a chance with his next words. When he spoke, his signature drawl was prominent. "Friends who engage in physical activities~?"

Sara shook her head, but she did not attempt to correct or chastise Leonard of his normal brazen behavior. She simply brushed her lips agianst his once more and said, "We'll see."


	3. We're Practicing Domesticity

_Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up in the morning when the day is new_

 _After having spent the day together, hold each other close the whole night through_

\- The Beach Boys, 'Wouldn't It Be Nice'

 _xxxXxxx_

 **Three months later**

When Sarah said she and Leonard would be friends with potential, she didn't expect for things to advance so quickly. There were plenty of clues he sent her way that things might be changing between them. Maybe she should have paid more attention to how Leonard had been treating her in front of the team, too.

Two nights ago, Kendra made a tuxedo cake and Sara couldn't eat it, on account of having a cold. She was a little embarrassed about having a cold because she normally never got them and being in the league had given her insight into keeping her body and mind healthy and clean from impurities.

 _'Probably too much junk food...'_ She mused regrettably. And just at the wrong time, too. Sara had tasted Kendra's cooking several times while they had been on the Waverider and she had enjoyed her friend's cuisine every time. Missing out on the tuxedo cake had really bummed Sara out, especially since tuxedo cake happened to be one of her favorite desserts.

When Kendra offered Sara a piece, Sara gave her a sad smile and told her that she was fighting a cold. And whenever you have a cold, you stay away from dairy products because they create mucus and only make you get more sick. Sara had learned that years ago. She spooned mouthfuls of the vegetable minestrone that Leonard had graciously made for her - from scratch and from an old family recipe, no less!

Sara had certainly been touched by Leonard's offer to make her soup. There was something so...endearing about it. Sara was impressed that he would go to such lengths to help her get better, so she offered to cut up the vegetables for him while he got the broth ready. He agreed and they worked side by side, just chatting. No one else was around at the time, so Leonard and Sara happily indulged themselves in the moment. It was quite intimate.

Sitting around the counter with the others, watching them devour that delicious cake, knowing that she couldn't have any made Sara resent her cold. She ate her soup quickly, so she wouldn't have to hear the appreciative sounds of her teammates as they gobbled down the cake. Once Sara finished her soup, she said goodnight to everyone and headed off to her room.

When she entered her room, she pulled her sweater off and sat on the bed. Sweat had perspired on her forehead and she wiped it away with a sigh on her lips. After kicking off her shoes, Sara laid back in the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Her thoughts were focused towards a certain captain of the crew whom she had qualms with at the moment.

Yesterday, after the Waverider landed in Austin, Texas in 1914, when Rip was notifying each member who would be needed for a specific mission, Sara was excluded. The past couple of days Rip had used Sara on missions very rarely.

Of course, she knew that he had cause to hold her back from missions. She had gone berserk with rage on a mission a week ago and if it weren't for Leonard holding her back and knocking her out, she definitely would have killed people. Still, how was she supposed to improve herself and successfully tame the beast if their leader wouldn't give her a chance to help with missions?

It was frustrating to be held back by someone who wanted her help to save the world, but he wasn't even ready to trust her enough to let her go on missions to stop Savage from taking over the earth. It was detrimental to the team, Sara felt. Honestly, there were times that Sara really wanted to punch Rip. He just had a way of getting on her nerves sometimes.

Sara wiped more beads of sweat from her face and growled. She wasn't the kind of person who got in a hissy fit because she started sweating. On the contrary, in her line of work, Sara was quite used to perspiration. You can't fight people without sweating. However, Sara was tired and her cold wasn't helping. Her legs and arms felt like spaghetti too.

 _'A warm shower should help,'_ she thought to herself. Sara stood up and went to her closet to get a change of clothes. When she grabbed her stuff, she went out into the hall and into the bathroom. Once Sara put her things down, she turned to close the door but Leonard was standing at the threshold.

"Oh, what is it? Did I drop a sock or something?" She looked on the ground.

"No. You didn't drop anything. I just wanted to know how your throat feels after eating the soup. I used plenty of onions and garlic in the broth, so you should be feeling a lot better."

"Oh. Yeah. Actually, I do feel a little better. Thank you for making it."

Leonard nodded. "Of course. It's my pleasure." Sara smiled and they both stood there for moments, not speaking. Leonard looked like he had something on his mind but was struggling to say it. Sara had spent a considerable amount of time with Leonard, so she could identify the signs. His jaw would be tight and his eyes would focus intensely on some random spot in front of him. Sara touched his arm. At this motion, he snapped out of his reverie and looked at her face.

"Is...is everything okay, Leonard? You know you can talk to me, right? We're friends, after all."

Leonard gave Sara a small smile and he kissed her on the forehead. "Yeah, we're friends. But you go ahead and take your shower. There's something I need to talk to you about. Something that...well, can't be spoken about out here. I'll wait for you in your room."

Sara crinkled her eyebrow and said, "Okay," softly, curiously watching him as Leonard turned and went into her room. She touched her forehead and smiled in spite of her confusion. Leonard Snart had been more affectionate towards her lately. Maybe their talk they would clear these things up and he'd explain his tactile behavior. Hopefully he'd continue with the touches. Sara reveled the feel of Leonard's skin against hers.

In the shower, Sara realized that Leonard might be acting odd because he wanted to have **the** talk with her. Suddenly, she grew nervous. He had been acting downright spouse-like, holding her when she had nightmares, making her soup, asking her how she felt, confiding in her. Perhaps he decided it was time to make things official between the two of them.

Sara was so busy thinking about these things that the soap from her shampoo stung her eyes. "Oh, ow! Dammit!"

Later, once she finished showering, she walked back into her room. Leonard was sitting on the bed and he smiled when he saw her coming. Sara felt a lump in her throat and her heart skipped a beat. He motioned for her to join him on the bed and she complied, feeling very shy and unsure of herself. Looking in his eyes added to her excitement because of the way he made her feel.

"So...you wanted to talk?"

Leonard nodded and scooted a bit closer to Sara until their knees touched. He was being more tactile than he usually - well, ever - was. Sara licked her lips and waited or him to speak. Leonard took one of her hands in his own, cradling it gently.

"...You know that I'm not a touchy-feely kind of guy. I don't open myself up to people, not even to Mick or Lisa and they're my family. Don't get me wrong, I do care about them, but...it's more of a platonic sense of care. None of us ever were intimate with each other. We have a mutual respect and alliance for each other, but it was nothing deep or emotional. They were people that I knew I had to protect. I don't trust people and before Hunter recruited us to be in this team, Mick and Lisa were the only people I ever let in my small circle...then, I met you."

Sara stifled the gasp that had been attempting to leap from her throat the minute Leonard took her hand in his. She was right! He was going to ask her- well, she wasn't exactly sure what he planned to ask her.

 _'Best to just act cool and wait until he finishes talking,'_ she thought to herself. It would be awful if she became enthused over something that she may be wrong about. Still, it wasn't easy, holding back her insatiable curiosity.

Leonard's lips twisted slightly and he furrowed his eyebrows in what, Sara suspected, was difficulty. Whatever it was that he wanted to say was clearly a big deal if he can't speak it right away. After a few moments of intense staring at Sara's sleeve, Leonard continued.

"Let's just say I'm a complicated man who doesn't hang around people I don't trust, and one of those few people I do trust is you, Sara. I actually started liking you from the first moment we spent time together. When I saw you dance in that bar back in the seventies, I liked what I saw. You were vibrant, electric, moving in time with the music like some kind of goddess. It was arousing, I ain't gonna lie, but there was more to it than that. I really wanted to get to know you. In spite of everything in me that told me to just ignore you and be indifferent, I couldn't. Over the past year you made me care, you actually made me care about you and everyone else on this crazy timeship. And I don't regret it one bit."

Leonard touched Sara's damp hair and ran his fingers through the blonde strands. He smiled the most beautiful, genuine smile she had ever seen on his face to date. Sara couldn't help but smile back at him. She was so glad that he was finally admitting his feelings for her.

She sniffled and laughed a little, the rebellious little tears finally spilling out of her eyes and down her cheeks. "So, what are you saying? That you have a crush on me or something?" She was teasing, of course. Far be it for Leonard Snart to merely have a crush on someone, as if he were in grade school.

Leonard shook his head at her silly joke and kissed her hand. "No, you crazy woman. I'm telling you that I love you. And ever since that night three months ago, when we spent the night in each other's arms, I felt like I had truly come home because of you. You're my home, Sara and I want to make that official."

Keeping his eyes on Sara, Leonard slid off the bed, reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small square-shaped box. Sara gasped loudly and covered her mouth with her hand, her heart thumping wildly at the surprise. "O-official?"

Leonard smiled at her reaction and got down on one knee, holding the box out to her and opening it deftly. The ring was beautiful. The band was gold with a braided twist filled with brilliant blue jewels. The stones reminded Sara of the color of her eyes. She looked at him questioningly. "A-are you asking me...?"

"Yes. I am. Sara Margaret Lance, will you marry me?"

Sara's face was wet through from the tears that freely streaked down her cheeks. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine Leonard Snart asking her to be his wife. It was almost too much for her to handle. She grabbed her stomach and nodded her head back and forth, emphatically. The only word she could get out was, "Yes!"

Once she said that, Leonard let a few tears fall from his eyes too and he leaned forward, taking the lovely ring out of its cushion and sliding it into her finger. Sara stared at the ring in glee and turned her head towards her now fiancé. Without speaking, they both reached for each other and embraced tightly. Sara's arms went around Leonard's waist and his went around her neck. Theirs was more than just an embrace. It was a promise fulfilled, a longing that had been answered.

Sara pulled back and kissed Leonard with all of the warmth in her heart that she held, holding back nothing, for all was brought to light now. Their kiss was all passion and fire, not a trace of cold to be found. Eventually, they both had to come up for air and when they did, Sara touched Leonard's cheek with her ring hand. She stroked his skin with her fingertips and touched her forehead to his.

"I love you too, Len. I always have. Ever since that day in the engine room."

Leonard smirked and rubbed her shoulder lovingly. "Well, I'm glad the feeling is mutual. It would have looked bad for me if you refused."

"Look bad for you? You make it sound like we have an audience."

Leonard looked over Sara's shoulder and raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, about that..."

Sara frowned and turned around to see what he was looking at. When she saw all of her teammates standing by the door, she groaned. "You let them watch? You have a lot of guts, Len. What if I had said no?"

He merely gave her a confident smile. "Trust me, Sara. I knew you would say yes."

Jax, Stein, Rip, Ray and Kendra all ran over to the two lovers and gave them their congratulations. Leonard actually shook hands with Stein and Ray, and accepted a high five from Jax, a pat on the back from Rip and a big hug from Kendra. There was no doubt about it, Leonard Snart was a changed man. A year ago, he wouldn't have dared to let people touch him, but now, with the love of Sara and the support of his friends, Leonard had finally made peace with himself and allowed himself to trust and to bond with others.

Rip came to Sara and spoke to her in low tones so the others wouldn't hear. "Sara. I just wanted you to know that Mr. Snart informed me of your displeasure at being held back from the last few missions. I'm sorry that I did that to you. I had no idea how much it bothered you until he told me earlier today. Now that I understand your qualms, you can rest assured that I won't exclude you from a mission again unless absolutely necessary and with your knowledge."

Sara smiled widely, her eyes darting to Leonard and back to Rip. She gave the Englishman a warm hug. "Thank you, Rip. I appreciate it." Even before he proposed to her, Leonard was still looking out for Sara. She loved the feeling and couldn't wait to say those precious words, "I do." And as they both came back into the other's embrace and their teammates fawned all over them, they kissed once more. Leonard and Sara were bound together by love and trust. Whatever life lay ahead of them, they were ready for the journey because they had each other which was the only thing that mattered.

 _Fin~_

 **xxxXxxx**

 **Okay, I was definitely not expecting to end this story on such a high note, but still, it was worth it! Len and Sara are going to be married! I nearly started crying myself writing the proposal scene! There should be more fics out there like this for these two! I was planning on ending this with three chapters, but now, I may have to pull in another one. We'll see. I have other stories that I must work on, and I don't want to burn out my muse on this story, so I'll let it lie for now. I highly doubt that this is the end for Len and Sara, though! Stay tuned for more in the future!**


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